New World
by anakinlove
Summary: A spin off from the clone wars series with all the charaacters minus Ashoka. she has been replaced though i do like her. Anakin is of course in here two, along with Obi-wan and Rex, the annoyingly bald clone PLEASE REVIEW
1. Chapter 1 Anikan Skywalker

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Cassandra Millicollins

Cassandra Millicollins (pronounced Mi coal lee) was curled up in a small white furry ball. Small furry balls are by far the most comfortable and warm things to sleep in unless of course you are using a small furry ball as a pillow in which case that might be slightly more comfortable. There are actually more comfortable positions to sleep in, but a small furry ball is the most comfortable if you are a dog and that is exactly what Cassandra was at the time. You see, Cassandra was a Necorian and Necorians can be all sorts of interesting things.

Cassandra didn't like to go by her full name. If she had friends with her, they would have called her Cassie, but she didn't really have very many friends right now. Most of them were all back on her home planet. Cassie was on a ship she had been on twenty times before bound for a planet she had never been to, to go play student to a guy she had never met, with a pilot who seemed to hate her as much as she hated lasagna, and Cassie really hated lasagna. Her only other ally on the ship was Atlas her beloved dogan (aka dragon dog, dogans look like German Shepherd dogs most of the time, but they can turn into dragons and horses, a useful feature). He was a small black and tan furry ball as well.

The ship was very cold. The captain was a Baltarian, a creature that came from a very cold planet and so Cassie huddled with Atlas and tried to hold out.

She was in rather poor physical condition, skinny like she hadn't had a good meal in a long while. If she had taken girl form in front of you, you would have seen lots of bruises and small cuts on her body, especially on her back. As a dog, her fur covered all that up, but there were still some signs of unhealthiness. She had small bald patches dotting her shoulders and hips and her fur was ragged in some places as well. She was filthy.

"We are setting in for a landing", the pilot said, "get ready to get off kid." Cassie stood up and let her shoulder length, light blond hair fall about her face. Cassie had thin pale eyebrows set above sea green blue eyes that were large and thoughtful. She wore a general Jedi outfit, a black tunic with black pants that had a hole in the back for her light blond, furry tail and long black boots. Her hair cascaded in front of her face like a simmering gold waterfall. Cassie liked that it covered her, allowing her to hide behind it like a mask.

She pushed her hair behind her pointed ears for a moment and took a look out the window at this new place she had landed into. It seemed mostly rolling fields and Cassie's heart leapt when she saw it, she loved grass.

Cassie had a second pair of ears a top her head that were shaped like a German shepherd dog's ears covered in light blond fur, the same as Atlas's except his were black. He wore an expensive collar around his black and tan neck, red with obsidian implants that were polished smooth. Cassie too wore a collar, light blue with diamonds.

The doors opened and light flooded the dimly lit ship. Cassie covered her eyes as her pupils contracted to compensate for the greater amount of light then she had seen in nine hours. There was activity surging all about the ship, clones and republic droids were everywhere along with many tanks, heavy cannons, and barrels full of blasters.

"Get off the ship", the pilot said, "and I hope I never have to see you again."

"The feeling's mutual", Cassie mumbled to herself and stepped nimbly over the cargo in the hold and out the door.

It was much warmer outside then it had been in the ship, but Cassie folded her arms anyway, Atlas by her side. She stepped off the ship and stood in front of the ramp, feeling lost. She had a strong urge to just run back and hide in the ship, but she stayed where she was and waited to be noticed, even though that seemed unlikely at the time. The ship pulled up and flew away and Cassie was still standing where she had been.

She longed to be like the droids or the clones, to have a reason to run and stress, but she felt like she was a standing rock in a flowing tide. She scanned the crowd, trying to find signs of where she was supposed to go, and then she spotted them, two men standing by a table wearing similar clothes to her own. Cassie took a deep breath, adjusted her backpack on her shoulders.

Then, she strode foreword. She stopped by the table and had to wait about half a second before she was noticed.

"Well hello little one", said the older looking man with the beard, "Who are you?" Cassie gulped.

"I'm Cassandra", she said, "I'm the new padawon."

"How old are you", the man asked.

"I'm fourteen", said Cassie.

"Oh, well, you certainly don't look it. I'm master Kinobi and this is Jedi knight Anakin Skywalker. I'm your new master."

"With all do respect sir", said Cassie with cautiousness in her eyes, "You must be confused, I've been assigned to master Skywalker."

"What!" the younger man with the flashing green eyes said, "I didn't ask for an apprentice, I don't even want one."

"Well, she's yours now Anakin, until we can get this mess sorted out."

"Come here", Anakin beckoned to Obi-won, taking him over a few feet away and talking softly. "Look, she's a Necorian and she's a small girl, I can't deal with her right now, if you wanted to set me up with an apprentice, you could have gotten me one that was a little easier."

"I didn't set you up Anakin", said Obi-won, "and come on, she can't be all that bad, you've only just met her."

"Face it Obi-won, she's a monster that just needs a little while to grow into herself. I could never train something like that."

"Well, I think you're being judgmental."

"I'm just being rational", Anakin replied.

Cassie sighed and started to walk away, having heard enough. Her second ears were quite powerful and though the two Jedi had been whispering, she had heard everything. She had barely lasted three minutes in this place, but this had happened before. Necorians, her race, were considered monsters by most other races simply because of a few wild rumors, some accidents, cases of mistaken identity and lack of actually knowledge.

Stories told of eaters of men and killers for blood lust, but Cassie wasn't any if those. She looked back over at the arguing Jedi and then lowered her head and stared down at her feet, trying not to be noticed as she waited for someone to call a ship to take her back to the temple again. Cassie was no stranger at all to this process, it had happened twenty times before.

"Look", said Anakin, "She looks ready to leave, lets just call a ship to come get her."

"Come on Anakin", said Obi-won, "Give her a chance."

"Fine", said Anakin, "but if she kills me, I'm holding you personally responsible. You better help me train her though, I don't know how."

"Neither did I", said Obi-won, "but you turned out all right." They both walked towards Cassie and Obi-won put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched and whipped her head around.

"Anakin has decided to give you a chance", he said kindly. Cassie looked into his kind blue eyes with confusion in her own. She turned her head towards Anikin. As soon as her eyes met his, it seemed an electric shock bolted through him.

"Yea", Anakin said, a bit distracted now. He shook his head and then came to his senses. "Come on kid", he said, "I'll show you around." Cassie walked cautiously after him and looked back at Obi-won who nodded at her and then nimbly followed Anakin, weaving in and out of the clones and trying to keep up. Everyone got out of Anakin's way, but let Cassie find her own way through.

"What did you say your name was", he asked without turning around.

"Cassandra", she replied.

"What about the dog?"

"His name is Atlas."

"I suppose I should let you keep it, even if it gets blown to bits."

"He won't," Cassie replied, He's not actually a dog, he's a dogan and he's special."

"All right", said Anakin, "whatever you say."

"What do you want me to call you", Cassie asked.

"Master is fine", Anakin said, "and by the way, try not to get too comfortable here, I'll probably be sending you back, not because of you (although Cassie suspected it was) but because I just think an apprentice will slow me down and I don't really feel ready for one right now. Obi-won might take ya though, and you'll do fine with him."

Cassie's heart sank and the thoughts running through her head at that time were, damn it, I blew it, why me.

"Well", she said, "I can stay out of your way for now if you'd like."

"Nah," said Anakin, "its alright we're not fighting in a battle so you can stay with me." Anakin didn't know why he offered to let the girl stay, considering the fast that he didn't really want her there. Her eyes kind of creeped him out. They were deeper the most people her age, as if she had already seen more then her fair share of life. It made him feel strange when he saw her flinch at Obi-won's gentle touch, like someone unused to being handled, practically fearing it. He wondered exactly who this girl was, and what she had been through to make her this way.

Rex came up to Anakin. For those of you who don't know and/or don't care, Rex is Anakin's clone commandeer person and close personal friend. He is also bald, which doesn't quite agree with me at all, but what ever. Anyway, so Rex came up to Anakin.

"I rounded up that squad for you commandeer", he said, "they should be able to deploy in…" his eyes fell on Cassie. "Who's she", he asked.

"My new apprentice."

"I thought you said you'd never have an apprentice."

"Yes well, I'm not sure if she's staying so right now she will be running around after me."

"All right", said Rex, "anyway, as I was saying, they should be ready to deploy…"


	2. Chapter 2 Hunting

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Cassie followed Anikan around all-day, silent and speaking only when spoken too. Anikan barely noticed she was there. He made her known to all the clones so they all knew she was supposed to be there and was not trespassing. Finally, he had things he had to attend too so he broke off and told her to go wherever she wanted. Cassie nodded and trotted slowly away.

She didn't really know what she particularly wanted to do. She sat down, as a dog, squaring her haunches and watching the activity progress around her. Atlas lay down beside her and licked her ear.

Anikan came back later, looking for his apprentice. He didn't know where she was, or what she was doing. He hoped she hadn't eaten anyone, or was causing any trouble. He saw her dog lying down next to a gray cat, which was watching a bird with interested amber eyes, tail twitching. Anikan walked over to the strange pair.

"Where did you come from?" he asked to the gray cat absentmindedly.

"I've been here all day master", it said mildly, and Anikan practically jumped a foot. He looked down at the gray cat, which was looking up at him in a humble sort of way, the bird now gone.

"Cassandra?" he asked almost cautiously.

The cat nodded and said, "I can change my form, but you'll always know me by my collar." She stood up and let the diamonds catch the sunlight.

"Do all Necorians wear those?" Anikan asked.

"Some do", Cassie replied subtly. Then, she stood up on her hind legs and turned into a girl. My dog can change his form as well. He too wears a collar so you'll know him from me. Anikan nodded.

"Very well then", he said with a clipping business like tone. "The sun's going down so I suggest you find a place to sleep." Cassie inclined her head to him in a gesture of placid respect and slapped her hip, summoning Atlas who got up and followed her. She whispered softly to him in Necorian and as her tunic shifted, Anikan saw several large bruises on her delicate back. "Just one more thing adding to the mystery that is Cassandra", said Anikan softly to himself. Then, he went back to Obi-wan's tent to talk over the battle plans for later. The subject strayed lightly over Cassie.

"She's interesting master", said Anikan, "at the very least. I'd kill to know her story." Obi-wan nodded.

"I agree", he said, "I do believe she's been beaten. She's in poor physical shape at best. She's easily malnourished and has obviously been hurt."

"She's got like these weird bruises on her back", said Anikan, "some of them almost look like burns from a training lightsaber. She doesn't seem like she could hurt a fly right now."

"You still don't trust her Anikan", Obi-wan asked. Anikan shook his head. "Ohh well, said Obi-wan I suppose that will come in time. You better go and get some rest." Anikan nodded and walked out of the tent. As he was walking to his tent, he saw Cassandra, silent as a wisp of smoke, slowly lowering herself to the ground beneath a tree. As a dog, he could see rubbed off patched of fur on her hips, as if she had spent most of her time sleeping, lying on hard surfaces.

Cassie rotated her hips so that she could find a more comfortable place to lay them and finally settled down, heaving a big sigh. Atlas came over and put his head on her neck.

"You know", said Anikan, squatting down next to her, "I could maybe try and find you a better place to sleep." She looked at him with deep, intelligent eyes and swiveled a hip to reposition it on the ground.

"I am fine", she said, bowing her head at him. "This place is fine."

"Well", said Anikan, "What about those." He pointed at the bald patches on her hips. Cassie touched one almost sheepishly with her pointed nose.

"From sleeping on concrete", she murmured, "The earth is soft." Anikan didn't quite agree with her on that one, but he let her have her way and got up.

The next day, Anikan woke up early feeling restless. He went over to the tree and saw that Cassie wasn't there. He found the place where she had lain and felt the grass was soft and springy. It was pretty comfortable, he supposed, if you were a dog. Then, Anikan decided to take a walk in the nearby, where he saw Cassie's tracks leading. He followed them through the tall grass, but lost them in the thick jungle foliage.

Then, Anikan saw a large sandy colored shape. The glint of an ice blue collar told him it was Cassie. He wondered what she was doing. He saw her muscles flex beneath her thin, flawless hide. She was crouched down and Anikan saw one of the local red deer eating not ten feet away from her. Cassie had not an ounce of fat on her. Her body was sinew, bone and muscle.

She contracted her shoulders, her eyes fixed hungrily on the deer. Anikan took a step foreword in anticipation, but accidentally cracked a twig. The deer lifted its head and Cassandra pounced, but the deer was already away. Cassie could never hope to catch it now that it was running. She gave a roar of frustration and tore at the ground. She snorted and slashed her ivory claws into the nearest tree, leaving inch deep gashes.

Anikan decided he probably didn't want to be found as the spoiler of her hunt, so he started to back away. But, he suddenly cracked another twig and Cassandra spun around, pulling herself up to full stance, her ears twitching and swiveling. She stared right at where Anikan was, her eyes narrowing.

She lowered herself to the ground almost in a stalk position and started to move on her belly towards him in full hunting mode. Anikan stood perfectly still, and Cassie got up, cocked her head and then trotted off in the other direction. Anikan heaved a sigh of relief when suddenly, Cassie spun around, her large body crushing him to the ground in an instant.

At first, her face was a mask of cold fury and he could see her full intentions of his death. Then, she looked at him and gave a little gasp. She jumped off and stood a little ways off, looking at him confused.

"I'm so sorry master", she said, "I didn't know it was you. I just thought it was some stupid monkey."

"That's basically what I am", said Anikan whimsically, picking himself up. Cassie lowered her head and gazed up at him meekly. Anikan could see the fear in her eyes. This giant cat that would have killed him in an instant was now looking at him as if her world would end of his accord. She shied furiously when he lifted his hand and her tail went between her legs. "It's ok", said Anikan, "You didn't hurt me." Then, he heard another twig snap behind him. Cassie looked at him with her head cocked but he shook his head and stayed perfectly still. Cassie lowered her body to the ground, in hunting mode. Her jaws twitched with anticipation and she crept foreword on her belly.

Then, she launched herself into the brush. Anikan heard a squeal and a snarl and turned to watch Cassie. She had her jaws around the deer's jugular and blood was spurting all over her face and paws. She latched one of her paws in the deer's leg and flipped over on her back. The deer struggled to get up, but was held down by the dead weight of Cassie on its neck.

Then, Cassie lifted a paw and with a swift stroke, broke the deer's neck. The beast sank to its knees and stopped struggling. As soon as Cassie was sure it was dead, she jumped off it and grinned happily. She tossed back her head and made a series of odd sounds that Anikan decided must be joy.

Cassie sunk one paw's front claws into the meaty shoulder of the big deer and said something quietly in Necorian before taking them out and starting to tear open carcass. Anikan watched her with something close to morbid fascination. Cassie noticed him and backed up.

"I'm sorry", she said, "Did you want any?" Anikan took one look at her filthy paws and fur sticking on end with dried blood and decided.

"No", he said, "We humans aren't really in the habit of eating raw meat. You enjoy it." Anikan felt like puking when he saw a bloody entrail drop out of her mouth half way before she sucked it back in and cocked her head in surprise, as if the thought had never occurred to her in the slightest.

"Ok", she said, "but are you sure?"

Yes," said Anikan. Cassie nodded her head and sunk her claws into a nearby tree and she dragged her kill up it.

"Be back to camp soon", Anikan yelled up to her from beneath the tree.

"Ok", Cassie replied, but as she spoke, something long, slimy and bloody dropped out of her mouth and onto Anikan's head. "Oops", she said, "Sorry master, but you should eat that, it really is the best part."

"What is it", Anikan asked.

"Beats me", said Cassie, "but its good. Try it." Anikan lifted it off his head with his two fingers and threw it on the ground. Then he ran off before any other internal structures could drop on his head. Cassie watched him go, confused. It was a perfectly good whatever and she wondered why he was so afraid of a little slimy whatever. He could always just wash his fur. Then, she shrugged her shoulders and continued eating, too hungry to contemplate the mysteries of humans.

Anikan spent ten minutes throwing up spectacularly into a bush when he got back to camp and got some water to wash his blood covered hair.

Cassie came back a little bit later, her paws and face still spattered with blood. She settled down in a corner and began the task of cleaning her face. Rex walked by Anikan.

"Who'd she kill sir", he asked, "not one of the 501's I hope."

"No", said Anikan, "just a very unfortunate deer."


	3. Chapter 3 The Battle

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Later that night, Anakin was walking about, inspecting things when he saw a little knot of clones gathered around the tree where Cassie normally slept. Anakin went over to find out what they were doing. He heard Rex give a muffled laugh and moved through the circle.

At the center, Cassie was lying on her side, her eyes tightly closed, whining and pumping her legs as if she were running.

"She's dreaming", said Rex. Anakin watched her, stifling laughs at her little sleep snarls and twitching legs. Then, Cassie gave a loud woof and woke herself up. All the clones erupted in laughter and watched as she looked around, sleepy and confused. Then, they slowly dissipated.

Anakin knelt next to his blushing apprentice and asked as his laughter died down, "What were you dreaming about?"

"Hunting", said Cassie bashfully.

"Today's hunt or a different one?"

"A different one", Cassie said, her eyes moving far away. "That one was glorious."

"Come on", Anakin teased, "What could be better then dropping some bloody who knows what on my head?" Cassie grinned.

"Why didn't you eat it", she asked, "it was delicious and I found out what it was."

"What?" Anakin asked.

"A uterus, or at least a part of one." Anakin gave her an amused smile.

"You had to tell me", he asked, "I mean, you ate it."

Cassie shrugged, "You're weird master", she said, lying down.

"I should get mad at you for that", Anakin said, "But I agree whole-heartedly. Anyway, continue on with your dreaming of glorious hunts, maybe one day you'll dream about me."

"I did", Cassie said softly as he walked away, "Last night I dreamt that you sent me away." Anakin stopped an almost pained expression on his face.

"Well", he said, without turning around, "dreams don't always come true." Then, he walked away, feeling a tingle go down his spine. As soon as he could patch a transmission into master Yoda, he was going to send her back.

Anakin hadn't told her, but she seemed to know anyway. He was almost growing attached to her, strange and reclusive as she was, but he still had his doubts. She didn't seem like a monster, at least not right now, but the way she had killed that deer. Anakin could almost see her ripping him up that same way, tearing open his jugular just like the deer and letting his blood spill all about. She seemed pretty reserved about hurting him, but you never did know.

"Ugh", Anakin said angrily into the darkness, "Why does everything in my life have to be so complicated." He got no answer, but the silence seemed to tell him something anyway. Still confused and conflicted, he walked back to his tent.

The next morning when Anakin awoke, the battle alarm sounded. He heard howling along with the alarm and laughed to himself as he thought, Cassandra.

He ran out of the tent after getting dressed and collecting his things. Then, he went to find Cassie. She wasn't very hard to find.

"Cassandra", he yelled over the noise. She looked at him curiously and nipped Atlas sharply, as he was still howling. He gave an indignant little snort and stopped howling. "What are you doing?", Anakin asked. Cassie shrugged and said, where do you want me. Her tail was beating back and forth furiously fast and she was practically rising off the ground in excitement. Atlas was just as excited, it seemed.

"You know", said Anakin, "I think you're more dog then girl." Cassie just wagged her long tail. "Alright," said Anakin, "come on with me." Cassie danced at his side.

They went over to the little table where people plan things for battles. Obi-wan was already there, planning and things like that. He looked up when he saw Anakin and Cassie. Anakin stood next to him and Cassie turned into a girl and stood silently.

"Have you ever been in a battle before?" Obi-won asked Cassie.

"Yes", Cassie replied, "several."

"Ok, have you ever directed troops?"

"Nope"

"All right, well for this first battle, I just want you to destroy as many droids as you can and not die."

"I can do that."

"Here, take this", Obi-won said giving her one of those little arm comlink things, "keep in contact."

"Gottcha", Cassie replied, "where do you want me?"

"Ride with blue squadron over there."

"Cool", said Cassie and she turned into a dog and pranced over to the ship, Atlas following.

"Are you sure you should take that dog into battle with you?", Anakin called after her.

"Sure", she replied, "he can take care of himself."

"I'm going to be worrying about her this whole battle", said Anakin, "imagine if I killed my first apprentice the first full day on the job."

"She'll be fine", Obi-won replied, though he hardly sounded convinced himself. Anakin watched her happily board the ship and wag her tail; she seemed to be unusually pleased for someone going off to battle.

"She'll be fine", Anakin said softly to himself as he boarded his transport ship. "The boys will take care of her, she'll be fine." Cassie jumped up onto the ship, turned into a girl, and reached up to hold one of the handles.

"Stupid delayed growth spurt", she muttered angrily. She stood on her tiptoes and finally managed to grip the handle with her fingertips. She gave a growl of frustration and finally gave up.

"Excuse me", said one of the troopers, "are you supposed to be here?"

"Why yes I am thank you", Cassie replied, "I'm just a bit height challenged. Can you lower these things by chance?"

"Yes", the trooper replied. He lowered it for her. "That's better", she said, "Thank you." The trooper nodded and Cassie gripped Atlas's collar with one hand and held the handle with the other. Then, they set off.

They landed in the back of the battle. They could see the Jedi already fighting. All the clones jumped off the transport immediately, but Cassie hesitated. She scanned the battle with distracted eyes until the pilot asked if she was getting off.

"Yes", Cassie replied, "sorry." Atlas turned into a horse and she vaulted onto his back. Atlas jumped off the transport and bugled a stallion cry. Cassie ignited her lightsaber and spurned him into a gallop.

They milled in among the droids as Atlas destroyed them with his sharp hooves and Cassie covered him with her lightsaber.

They did this for about ten minutes until Cassie said, "This is kind of boring, let's try something new." She stood up on Atlas's back, and then did a flip off it. Atlas turned into a very large dragon, scaring as many clones as droids. He flashed his tail around and knocking droids in half. The shots from the droids bounced off his scaly hide, but they seemed to hurt so he artfully dodged them.

Cassie turned into the large cat from the previous night and slashed at droids with her long claws. She changed forms quickly to suit her purposes and she flowed through her movements like she was dancing. Anakin contacted her on his comlink.

"Cassandra, where are you?"

"I'm next to the big dead droid ship in-between the two big towers with the creepy faces on them."

"Hold on, where?" said Anakin confused, "Can't you just give the coordinates?"

"How should I know what they are?" Cassie replied.

"Ok, never mind, if you are where I think you are, can you go pick up Rex, he's injured and I can't get to him right now."

"Ok", said Cassie. He gave her the coordinates and she whistled for Atlas. He was fighting a large droid cannon with a few clones on his back trying to help out. He blew flames at it until it fell, then gently dislodged the clones, turned into a horse, and raced towards Cassie. She jumped onto his back as he was running past and she turned him towards the coordinates Anakin had given her. She clung to his collar and held on as he galloped wildly.

Cassie saw Rex lying with droids surrounding him, seeming to wonder if he was still alive. She jumped off Atlas (she had been doing a lot of jumping that day if you haven't noticed), and destroyed the droids quickly.

"Hey honey", she said, "I'm here to pick you up." Rex groaned as she scooped him up and put him in front of her on Atlas's back. "Can you carry us both?" she asked him. Atlas whinnied indignantly as if the mere question was an insult to his strength.

He galloped out until Cassie saw the huge statue fall in front of them, blocking their path. They were still galloping towards the big statue because Cassie had seen it fall far in front.

"Leave me", Rex said, "You and the dog or whatever he is can climb over."

"Ohh please", said Cassie, "and let general Skywalker kill me for losing his best man, as if. Atlas, you know what to do." Atlas continued to gallop towards the statue thingy. At the last minute, he leaped into the air as if to jump over it, then turned into a dragon and spread his wings.

Atlas soared over the tower thingy and flew high above the battlefield, sending spurts of flame down at the unsuspecting droids.

"Where should we land?" Cassie asked Rex.

"Over there behind the battle please sir." Cassie motioned to Atlas with her legs where to go. He dutifully soared in that direction and finally landed. The medics were there to take Rex, so Cassie mounted Atlas and they soared over the battle once more.

Atlas landed on top of some droids trying to infiltrate their camp and proceeded to attack around the flank of the enemy. Cassie was left alone with a few mildly wounded clones. She revved up her lightsaber and danced about the battle. As she was turning to give some cover to a few clones, a bomb went off. Cassie was thrown back and into a crater. She blacked out.

Anakin was fighting a droid when he felt a surge in the force so strong, it knocked him to his knees. Waves of pain were coming off his apprentice and her life force momentarily dimmed. Cassie had been dying. Anakin felt cold, deathly fear. What had happened to her? Was she dead or living, he couldn't tell. Anakin cut down all around him and raced back to camp, leaving a trail of droid destruction in his wake.

Cassie came two in about a minute, with a few clones clustered around her.

"Can you walk sir?" they asked.

"Lets see", Cassie replied. One of the clones offered her a hand and hauled her up. She took a few wobbly steps and then was able to walk normally. She thought she was uninjured for a few moments, until she noticed a large piece of sharp glass in her arm.

"That looks bad sir", one of the clones said.

"Yes", she said thoughtfully, "it does doesn't it." She touched the glass with her fingertips. "It hurts as well, bad now that I have realized its there, thankfully however, I have a pretty decent tolerance of pain." She whistled for Atlas who came to her immediately. "I should probably go for a medic 'cuse I'm losing a lot of blood."

"Yes sir", said the clone.

"I suppose I can just deal with it for right now, I'm too lazy to go back anyway." Cassie continued to fight in the battle from a top the back of Atlas. It was awkward to fight with her arm in such a condition, but she had no choice. Finally, they were all given orders to return, that they had won the battle and the droids were in retreat. Cassie rode Atlas back to the camp, happy, but weak from loss of blood.

Anakin was just walking in circles. Cassie hadn't come back yet. She must be dead, he thought, she could not be alive after this. His heart beat in his chest like a frightened bird, fluttering and pounding. Then, he saw Cassie coming back.

The first thing Anakin felt was an overwhelming relief that she had survived. Then he saw the glass in her arm.

"What happened", he asked her urgently.

"I was thrown by a bomb", Cassie said, "but it's not bad."

"Lets get you too a medic, you look like you're going to faint."

"Its just loss of blood."

"Just loss of blood", Anakin said, "people generally aren't supposed lose that much blood." He dragged her to the med tent, his heart beating like a drum. What if she died right here? This was all too stressful. Well, to make a long story short, Cassie did not die, she lived happily ever after just so you know. Anakin however, made a very serious decision that night.


	4. Chapter 4 Rejection

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"Obi-wan", he said, "I need to make a transmission to the temple."

"Why", Obi-wan asked.

"I'm giving Cassie back."

"What", said Obi-wan.

"I can't force her into this mess. She almost died twice today. She'd be better off with someone more experienced. I barely know a thing about her species."

"You know", said Obi-wan, "she will take this as a judgment on her race and on her skills as a Jedi. I beg you to reconsider."

"No", said Anakin, "my mind's made up."

"Well", said Obi-wan with a sigh. "Maybe you weren't ready anyway. If you are going to tell her, it has to be now."

"Ok", said Anakin. He was dreading telling her. He was originally going to make someone else tell her, but Obi-wan's eyes told him who it had to be. Anakin went to find Cassie. She wasn't all that hard to find.

Cassie was sitting beneath her usual tree with Atlas. The sun had gone done and the moon was shinning brightly. She saw Anakin and raced up to him, tail wagging excitedly.

"Did you see me master?" she said happily, "did you see how I did. I did good didn't I. I saved Rex and now he likes me." She was bouncing up and down as a dog with her ears popping up back and forth. Anakin gave a gulp. He was about to wipe that happy dog smile off her face. She noticed his expression and her jumping died down. She turned into a girl and gave him a confused look.

"Did I do something wrong?" Cassie asked.

"No", said Anakin, "but…you need to go and pack your things."

"You're sending me back", Cassie said softly.

"Not because of you", said Anakin, "I really do like you, but I just can't deal with an apprentice right now." He put a hand on her shoulder. "You'll be ok; you'll do much better with someone other then me. Obi-wan might take you. I know where ever you go, you'll be an amazing knight." Cassie shrugged and hung her head, trying to be nonchalant.

"Its ok, she said, don't feel bad. Things don't always work out, I guess. I'll um, I'll see you around."

"Ok", said Anakin, "will you be ok?" Cassie gave a little scoff. "Of course", she said, "I'll be fine. I'm used to this." She turned around and started to walk away, turning into a dog mid stride. Anakin could hear her soft whistling breathe and almost silent footsteps in the darkness.

There was just enough moonlight to see her settle under the tree, her head hanging and her shoulders starting to shake. He longed to go and comfort her, but he wanted to stay strong. He heard her start to give quiet little sobs and turned away. Nothing he had done had ever felt so wrong. Anakin kicked a few stones as he walked on his way.

"It just isn't fair", he snapped. Suddenly, he heard the battle alarm sound. He didn't hear Cassie howling for joy this time and he gave a guilty little sigh. He was happy about the battle though. Anakin Skywalker wanted nothing more at that moment then to destroy something. Unconsciously, he called Cassie with the force. She came, trotting foreword on dainty white feet.

"Where do you want me master?" Cassie asked.

"Go with blue squadron again", he said absentmindedly. Cassie nodded her white head and threw it back, giving a short, summoning howl. Atlas came to her out of the darkness, pressing his dark body against Cassie. He heard her whisper something softly to him in Necorian and he licked her ear comfortingly.

That dog seemed pretty smart, Anakin thought. Her only friend and what seemed to be almost constant companion. He was an interesting creature, to say the least.

Anakin stalked off and boarded a random ship, feeling dejected. He hopped into the little ball that people shoot from and gripped the controls. The ship lifted up and flew over the dark landscape.

They had been flying for a few minutes when suddenly, a large bolt of something (whatever they shoot ships with these days, I don't know) hit their ship. Anakin felt it rock and sway beneath him. Then, a big bolt of whatever hit the little gunner's ball and knocked it off. Anakin was trapped and falling fast into the dark forest.

The ball hit the ground with a heavy thud and knocked Anakin out with a thump. Anakin felt his legs twist beneath him and he screamed out in pain. He lay on the ground for a few minutes, thoroughly stunned. He hoped the gunship would come back for him, when he saw it go down in a ball of flame. Anakin gave a groan.

They would not know he was missing or even search for him most likely until morning. He tried to get up, but found one ankle thoroughly swelling and would not support his weight. He was sore all over and could scarcely move. So, Anakin would have to spend the night on the ground, surrounded by scavengers he was sure could already smell his blood. What was he going to do?

Cassie looked for her master after the battle, but could not find him. Eventually, she came to the conclusion that he was avoiding her. Cassie decided that she wasn't going to spend her last night on this planet in camp.

She summoned Atlas and said, "Come on, I'm going to camp in the forest. Do you wana come with?" Atlas gave a little bark and followed her as she trekked into the forest.


	5. Chapter 5 The cave

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Anakin was lying with his head in the dirt, exhausted and in pain. Then, he heard the sound of paw steps and a snuffling nose. He felt fear. He longed to cry out and scare the beast away, but his ribs were pressed up against the ground so awkwardly, he could not yell. In fact, he could do little more then moan, which he did.

The beast came closer, although he could not see it. He felt it salivating on his back when suddenly, it stopped. Anakin heard a little whine that almost sounded confused. Then, he felt a soft muzzle brush his cheek and heard the beast spring back with a confused little yelp.

"Master", he heard it say. Anakin had never felt such deep and complete relief in his life. Cassie came back over and sniffed him, before rolling him over gently. She put a paw on his chest. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

Anakin caught his breath and said through pained little groans, "We crashed, I thought I was dead. What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to get away for a while so I figured I'd spend the night out here. Master, I was going to eat you."

"Well", said Anakin, "Good thing you didn't. Will you go and get help?"

"If I do, there's a teleron over there that'll be on you in an instant, I had to chase him away. Plus, I don't even know the way back to camp. I figured I would sniff around and find it in the morning. There's a lot of stuff out here I don't want to meet. I found a cave though; we can spend the night there."

"I can't walk", said Anakin.

"I surmised as much", Cassie said dryly, almost as if she were annoyed. Anakin wondered if she might be mad at him. "I'll carry you", she said smoothly. She turned into a palomino horse and knelt down on her front legs next to Anakin. Anakin put his arms around her neck and heaved himself onto her back. Cassie got up, swaying and puffing. "You're heavy", she murmured.

"Sorry", said Anakin.

Cassie plodded along silently, her mane blowing in Anakin's face. He wound his arms around her neck and lay across her back. As Cassie was making her way along, a storm blew up and rain poured down, blown by heavy winds. Cassie fought them as she went foreword with certainty. Anakin was drenched to the bone and shivering in a few short minutes.

"Not much farther", Cassie said. Finally, they got to a dark cave. Lightning illuminated the entrance and Anakin saw it was not very deep. He also saw Atlas's furry face lite up for an instant in white light. Cassie laid him down at the back of the tent and built a little fire, which she pushed him as close to as he allowed. She seemed confused when he said the fire would burn him.

"It doesn't bite me", she murmured. Then, Cassie walked to the front of the cave and stared out into the rain as a horse. Atlas threw Anakin a cold glance, but Anakin was too cold and exhausted to care. Cassie seemed aloof; as if she had ascended to a place he could not get too. He wondered if her had sent her with his words.

"Are you mad at me?" he called to her. Cassie glanced back at him.

"I suppose", she said, "Not that it matters. I was hoping to spend the night alone tonight. I'm better off alone most of the time."

"I'm sorry about what happened."

"It's over", Cassie said smoothly, walking back to him. She folded her legs beneath herself on the other side of the fire and tucked her head on her forelegs. She didn't look at him, but he studied her golden body as the firelight cast shadows over it. Even as someone who didn't know horses, he knew she was beautiful.

She looked over at him, her green-eyed gaze lingering on his face. "You're trembling like a leaf", she murmured. "I would take off my tunic if I were you. You'll dry off much faster without it." Anakin tried to take it off, but failed. He finally fell back with a grunt. He looked over at Cassie, who was watching him interestedly.

There really was no point in getting mad at her, considering the fact that she wasn't his apprentice anymore and he couldn't really tell her what to do, so he swallowed his pride and asked, "Would you help me?" Cassie got up and turned into a girl.

"All you had to do was ask", she said. Cassie balanced Anakin's back on her knee while pulling the tunic off him. He felt her warm little hands on his chest and shoulders as she eased the fabric over his aching ribs. Then, she lowered him back down to the ground gently, as if he were made of glass.

Cassie crawled down to where his legs were and asked, "Why can't you walk?"

"Something's wrong with my ankle', Anakin said.

"I can look at it for you if you'd like", Cassie offered.

"Ok", said Anakin, "thank you." Cassie eased his boots off, amid his little gasps of pain.

"I know it hurts", she said soothingly, 'its almost off." Anakin gave a grateful little sigh when she got it off. It still hurt badly, but it felt better. "Wow", Cassie exclaimed, "no wonder you couldn't walk. This is so swollen." She crawled outside for a moment as dog and came back with a bowel of water gripped in her fangs. She placed it down and shook off the rainwater.

Then, she tore the end off of her tunic and dipped in the water, lifting Anakin's foot gently onto her lap. "This'll make it feel much better", said Cassie, dabbing the cold water over his ankle. Anakin gave a sigh of relief.

Cassie's little fingers on his ankle seemed to soothe it more then they should have so he asked her, "What's in that water?"

"Nothing", said Cassie, "but I'm a Necorian, so I can heal things, little things at least. I helped the swelling go down. I think you just twisted it. I should be better in the morning. I tried to help it along." She laid his foot down and turned back into a horse, staring out into the rain.

"Why did you help me if you're mad at me?" Anakin asked. "If I were you, I would have made me suffer." He saw Cassie give a smirk.

"I felt sorry for you, lying there with your ankle bulging out and you all sopping wet. I suppose its good you distressed me enough to send me off here so that I'd find you. Very smart, I must say."

"I'm sorry", said Anakin softly.

"Why didn't you want me", Cassie asked. "We are out her all alone and I want to know the truth. I have to alter my behavior in the future so that I may do better with my next master. Were you frightened of me?"

"No", said Anakin, "well yes. I suppose when I saw you open up that deer's throat, I thought about what your teeth could do to mine."

"I would never hurt you, I was more afraid of you hurting me. Human blood is foul."

"You've tasted it?" Anakin asked curiously. Cassie shrugged.

"I have tasted a lot of things I never wanted to. Blood of any type is the least of it. I would never ever hurt you master, begrudgingly, I like you. But that can't be all. I felt your relief when I found you, so I guess you can't have been too afraid of me." Anakin shrugged.

"I hoped you'd help me, and you did. Thank you, but you're right, that's only a tiny part of the reason I gave you up."

"Why", Cassie asked simply.

"I was so scared for you, I felt your force dim once and another time I thought you had lost too much blood. I didn't want to be worried about you all the time, to be so scared that you would die."

"Ohh", said Cassie, "is that all?"

"What do you mean?" asked Anakin.

"Well", said Cassie, "I've heard just about every excuse in the book by now I suppose."

"How many masters have you had?" Anakin asked.

Cassie thought for a moment and then looked up and said, "Twenty."

"Twenty", Anakin exclaimed.

"Yes, but I suppose some of them don't really count, see, when they found I was Necorian, some of them would forget training me on the spot. Others would give me up after a month or two. The longest was two months, but that was because he was gone mostly."

"Why did they give you up after they had you for a while?"

"I suppose I scared them. You see, when they beat me too much to the point where I blacked out, my body would go into instinct mode and when they approached me, I lashed out, unable to control my self. I was a mere machine, a slave to a DNA code of behavior developed long before I came into being. Sometimes it would take a while, but lately, it has been happening more frequently. I suppose my stress levels are going up and that is why."

"They beat you", Anakin said softly.

"I'm a Necorian, don't act so surprised", Cassie said harshly. "That was what they said they had to do to control me. I never really tried to do anything wrong."

"So the bruises I saw…"

"All from them. They got pretty inventive in ways to hurt me. There were always ropes and muzzles involved, I had no chance."

"Why didn't the Jedi council just send you back to your family or some other place where you could help people?"

"I pondered that and have come to the conclusion that they considered me too dangerous to be let back into normal society. A Necorian with force powers is just asking for trouble I guess is how they see it."

"Why did they decide to train you in the first place then?" Cassie spoke slowly now, almost carefully.

"The circumstances under which they got me were…complicated and I'm sure they had no choice." Anakin nodded.

"That must be hard on you", he said. Cassie shrugged.

"I've gotten used to it", she said. "These days, home isn't the temple, its where the person I care most about is, most of the time Atlas, but you're shaking like a leaf." She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders to keep warm, but she took it off and draped it gently over him.

"No Cassandra", said Anakin.

"You take it. I'm fine." Cassie rolled her eyes. "No, you're not. I'm not taking it off you, its just going to have to stay there. You're too weak to get it over to me", she said giggling. Anakin laughed. Their happiness dissipated slowly into a stifling silence, as if an unbreakable wedge had been driven between them. Cassie shook off the rest of the water clinging to her and then, she walked over and lay down beside Anakin, pressing her soft golden body against his side.

"You'll get hypothermia if I don't hurry and warm you up", Cassie said ruefully.

"Thank's Cassandra", said Anakin, "you're a good friend."

"Hey", said Cassie, "Call me Cassie. Cassandra's so long." Anakin smiled at her. For a moment, his snapping, hazel green eyes met her soft sea green ones and he watched the firelight dance across her face. Cassie lowered her head and passed her soft lips over Anakin's face. Anakin was soothed by this simple motion and put his head back on her front legs, which didn't make the best pillow, but were a lot better then the cave floor. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 6 Home

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When Anakin woke up the next morning, he heard the sounds of snorts and Cassie giggling. Anakin felt a lot better now, warm and safe with the morning sunlight streaming into the cave and his body feeling, still sore, but better then the previous day. He rolled over and looked outside.

Cassie seemed ecstatic with wild pleasure. She was kicking up her golden heels and chasing Atlas in circles around a little river. Atlas barked and jumped at her and she reared and whinnied. Then, she threw her hindquarters down onto the streambed with her hooves in the water and sang so loud birds flew up from the tree.

"I got my toes in the water ass in the sand not a worry in the world a cold beer in my hand, life is good today whoaoo hey life is good today."

Anakin smiled, seeing her so happy. She was a pretty good singer. Cassie rolled over on her back and covered her yellow body with dust before splashing in the water. Now that the sun was out, it shone off her body so brilliantly, Anakin was almost blinded.

Cassie chanced a glance over at him and saw he was awake with a big grin on his face and reared up on her hind legs, batting the sky with her front and bugling loudly. She trotted back up to the cave and said,

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"Yea", said Anakin, 'but that's ok. You seem happy today."

"The sun is shining, I have water to splash in and room to run. I want to get out all my energy before I go back to wherever I'm going. It's a long space flight." Then, Anakin remembered what he had done last night and his happiness faded. Cassie however, seemed determined to be joyful so she knelt down cheerfully and asked, "Can you walk?"

"Lets see", said Anakin. He grabbed her neck and she heaved him up. He hobbled foreword a few steps and said, "I can walk, but not very fast or very well." Cassie shrugged.

"I'll carry you then", she said. She knelt down and let him climb up on her back before trotting of in a random direction.

"How are you going to find you're way back?"

"Our camp is the only sight for miles around that reeks of motor oil so strongly. I smell it right now. Me and At will just follow our noses." Anakin nodded and held on tight to her silky white mane as she went along at a good pace. There was a silence again, but it was more comfortable. Anakin watched the game trial ahead of him and Cassie's long white forelock bob as she nodded her head in rhythm to her movements.

They finally reached the end of the woods and came into sight of camp. Obi-wan was the first to spot them.

"Ohh Anakin", he said, "I was so worried. None of us had any idea what happened to you and when we saw the wreckage of the ship, we feared the worst. I see Cassandra found you though." Cassie gave Obi-wan a contented look and stood patiently while Obi-wan helped Anakin off her back and onto the ground. She remained standing as Anakin was helped away by Obi-wan. Atlas pawed her face gave a whine, bringing her back to the present and out of her dreamy thoughts. She gave a sigh and went off to get her old backpack.

She found Anakin later, having his ankle bound.

"I should be fine by tomorrow", Anakin said to her, "all thanks to you." He came down precariously off the table he had been on and stood somewhat awkwardly, though at least he was standing. Cassie nodded and let her hair sweep in front of her face, as if cutting them off. Anakin could sense her unhappiness.

"I'm ready to go master", she said. Anakin gave her a small smile.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Elsewhere, isn't that what you said yesterday." Anakin put a gentle hand on her shoulder and used the other to lift her chin.

"Come on Cass, he said you saved my life, I can't let you go now. You're just going to have to put up with me until you become a knight. I'm sorry your master count is going to have to stop at twenty one." Cassie looked at him with awe in her eyes, as if he were a god. Then, She rushed foreword and wound her arms tightly around his waist with a fierceness that surprised Anakin. He held her gently and she purred. A single word escaped her lips.

"Home."


End file.
